Literati Drabbles and Prompts
by Gilmoremarianodanes
Summary: A collection of Rory/Jess stories I've written that don't have a proper home. Birthday presents, fic prompts and writer's block fixers that I hope you'll enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm back! I won't bore you with the details of my long absence, only apologise and hope this updating thing is now more regular. In this story I'll be posting collections of not-quite-stories I have, mostly posted to Tumblr before I put them here. This one had no prompt beyond it being written for someone's birthday, and is present-day. Enjoy!**

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About four minutes before her alarm was due to go off, Rory woke abruptly. A cool October breeze was rolling in, a sign that she'd been alone in bed the entire night. According to their routine she would sleep with the window open, and when he finally joined her in bed he'd close it. Nothing was adding up as she slipped into her slippers and padded out to the living room, passing the vase of flowers and cards from family and friends. In their entire relationship Jess had never once let her wake up on her birthday alone. She found her answers sleeping fitfully on their couch, still in his clothes from yesterday and drenched in sweat.

"Jess?" She asked tentatively, moving towards her husband to sweep his matted hair from his face. As his eyes fluttered open she recoiled at the sheer heat radiating from him.

"Morning, birthday girl," he offered weakly as he attempted to sit up, before a shot of pain hit his abdomen. Memories of grogginess from the night before entered his mind as he saw his wife turn paler than usual.

"Jesus, you're burning up!" Rushing to the kitchen she returned with a thermometer, to which he firmly kept his mouth shut.

"No time for this. Too much stuff planned," shakily he rose to his feet and shakily started to walk towards the bathroom. Rory attempted to protest but he shook her off, finally finding himself in the shower.

After making a pot of coffee Rory was sitting at the dining table, trying to figure out what was wrong with Jess. Her first thought was the flu, but they'd both had their shots not too long ago and it didn't seem like he was coughing or anything of the sort. Appendicitis was next, but she had a vague memory of tracing an appendix scar with her fingers, as well as her tongue. So caught up was she in trying to diagnose him that she almost didn't hear the loud thud as Jess fell in the shower, a loud groan following it.

Rushing in, she turned off the water and grabbed some towels. Wordlessly she attempted to dry him as he feebly argued, words about birthday surprises and picnics escaping his lips as he shook with fever. Finally testing his temperature Rory knew there was no other option but the hospital, even if she had to carry him on her shoulders. Attempting to calm his fevered mutterings, she caressed his cheeks as she shushed him.

"Shh, Jess… It's okay. Look, everything's fine. But if you want me to have a good birthday we need to get you better, okay? Shh…" He was whimpering now, and it broke her heart, "We'll get you dressed, and I'm going to drive your car with zero complaints about how I ride the brakes. Then you'll get the nice drugs and everything will be okay."

"You're not mad?" He asked softly, making her almost want to laugh.

"I love you, silly boy."

* * *

Fairly certain of having broken several laws, Rory turned into the emergency section of the hospital and hurried to get Jess out of the car. He'd been better as they made their way out of their apartment, but as the drive went on things had only gotten worse. Before long he was vomiting, apologising over and over about everything. Worried about having to support his weight, she was relieved when someone ran out to assist her.

"What's happened here?" She asked Rory as they got Jess into a nearby wheelchair.

"I don't know. I woke up this morning and he was in so much pain. Really out of it, fever through the roof, and he kept clutching his stomach. Is he going to be okay?" Now that her time of diligent caregiver was over, Rory was flicking the switch to full-on panicked spouse. The nurse had found a clipboard and was writing something down.

"I see. Any history of drug or alcohol abuse?"

"He hasn't OD'd!" Rory yelled indignantly, earning her a few looks from patients and staff alike. To her credit the nurse didn't flinch, but wrote something else down as she smiled thinly.

"Sorry miss, standard procedure. Patient's name?"

"Jess- Jess Mariano," Rory responded, watching sadly as Jess was taken away.

"The author?" After a sharp glare, the nurse apologised, "Right, not the time or place. If you'd like to grab a seat someone will be by shortly to update you on the situation," she paused, as though knowing she was overstepping her boundaries, "Cases like these almost always end up being nothing."

"Could've done without the 'almost' in that sentence."

"Sorry about that," the nurse offered with a sad smile, "You're Rory, aren't you? From the dedications?"

"The whole time and place thing has gone out the window, hasn't it?"

"My husband proposed using a quote from a Mariano book. All those words are for you, aren't they? Even when it's a priest talking to a crack whore, those words of love and true beauty are inspired by you. That's gotta be incredible."

"Maybe _you_ should be a writer," Rory's felt her eyes watering as this complete stranger explained the love she and Jess shared in the plainest terms. Within each other they found the beauty they'd otherwise be lacking, and it was absolutely a two-way street. If she had any skill for fiction at all she'd write it in-between each line as he did for her, but her love could never be conveyed in this way. It was in the laughter, the seriousness as they bantered about every conceivable literary complaint, the quiet nights needing nothing but each other's company. In that moment she knew the love she had for that man was worth more than any birthday picnic.

"Ms Gilmore?" A masculine voice echoed from where they took Jess. Taking her leave of the sweet nurse with a smile, she made her way to face fate.

"That was quicker than I though. Which is good, right?" She tried to push back the reasons for this doctor to speak to her, and felt her heart soar when he gave a terse nod.

"Kidney stones, which are considerably more painful than dangerous considering Mr Mariano's age and health. He's on an IV now and may need shock wave therapy, but we've managed to make the pain bearable as they pass."

"Thank God. Thank you so much. Can I see him?" She was surprised when the serious-looking man gave a deep chuckle.

"Please put us all out of our misery and see that boy. He hasn't shut up once about ruining your birthday, it's driving the nurses crazy."

"None of you are stuck with him apologising for the next few weeks, I think you're getting off easy." Rory joked with a radiant smile, which the doctor couldn't help but return.

Walking the long, white corridors of the New York hospital she was painfully reminded of the last time she spent any lengthy amount of time in one of these places. Tears sprung to her eyes and by the time she'd reached Jess they were flowing freely, as much as she tried to quell them. Crossing the room, she fell into Jess' open arms and wept loudly, her mind reeling with relief as well as fear and grief.

"Shh… Rory, I'm fine. Come on Ror, it's okay. I'm sorry I scared you, I'm so, so sorry…" He continued to mutter words of comfort into her hair, even as the pain in his lower abdomen worsened.

"Oh god Jess… I was so-" Another wave of tears swept over her, and it was a moment before she could continue, "Promise me something? Don't die, Jess. Never. I can't… lose you… you can't die."

"No one's dying, I promise," He said soothingly, before realising his own stupidity as her cries got louder, "God. It's barely been two months, has it? Fuck, I'm so sorry for putting you back there. Bringing you to one of these places, just when things were getting better."

"He was supposed to be out in two days. Jess, we thought he was getting better. But…"

"I know. That's why I was trying so hard to make today special. You need it so much. Bet you've got a hundred missed calls from Lorelai too. We were supposed to be there an hour ago."

"Where? At mom's?"

"Kind of. A little first date recreation in Stars Hollow that I've royally screwed up."

"You were taking me to Al's?"

"Not that first date, the other one."

"When we were dating in high school?"

"Earlier."

"Earlier? How can we- Jess! That wasn't a date!"

"I beg to differ. There was food-"

"Inedible food!"

"-literary debates-"

"In that case I've been on dates with half of Yale!"

"-not to mention a pizza and a very steamy post-date phone call."

"About _The Fountainhead_!" Despite her protests she couldn't stop smiling. "So we were having a picnic?"

"Only after I'd won your basket, of course."

"Bid-A-Basket's in February, or March if you count that one time with Kirk and the gophers."

"Strings have been pulled."

"How very New York businessman of you."

"Yeah well it doesn't matter now anyway, the whole thing is ruined."

"Wait here."

"In my hospital bed, with the IV in my arm? Sure, I guess I can do that."

"Don't be sassy to the birthday girl."

Jess was only left to his own devices for about ten minutes when Rory returned with a small basket. It was bright blue with an 'it's a boy!' balloon tied to the handle, and looked to contain a variety of cafeteria specials from the hospital.

"If this is your way of telling me you're pregnant I've gotta say, I'd prefer it written on top of a cake or something."

"If you're going to mock my basket choice I can go eat all this stuff by myself."

"Don't you dare."

"Good, because I swiped about ten jell-o cups and without you I'll eat them all."

"Anything in there not made of gelatine?"

"Two muffins, some fries and some seriously bad coffee."

"It's no stale Pop-Tarts, but it'll do."


	2. Chapter 2

**So some of my prompts are fully realised ideas, like the previous one. Some, however, barely scratch 300 words. This is one of those. Prompt from the phrase 'I think we need to talk'.**

* * *

"JESS!"

 _Busted_. He was wondering how long it would take her to notice. There was no way she'd been awake for more than ten minutes, so he was a little impressed. Resigning himself to an interrogation he abandoned his newspaper on the coffee table and walked towards the kitchen.

"Good morning to you too, Rory." He smirked at her expression, which was a mixture of anger and confusion.

"I think we need to talk," she started ominously, before pointing at the wet mess on the floor, "what is that?"

"The remnants of a full bowl of water, I'm guessing."

"Why was there a bowl of water on the floor?"

"For the cat."

"For the- what cat?" As though on cue, a small 'mew' was heard from the living room. "Jess, is there a _cat_ in our apartment?"

"Either that or the rats have gotten _very_ vocal." He couldn't help the crooked grin crossing his face, she was just getting too adorably worked up. Besides, the cat was pretty cool, for an animal. He'd met the tiny creature while Rory was away on assignment, and after feeding it for a week or so it decided to follow him home. It had passed all its vet checks with flying colours, so it was his for now. Possibly forever, if he could swing Rory's vote in favour of a furry new friend.

Speaking of his roommate/live-in girlfriend, she'd left him in pursuit of the kitten. It wasn't that she didn't like animals, she'd just never had any luck with them. Hamsters didn't last very long in the Gilmore household. Still, the second she found those bright blue eyes hiding behind the sofa, she knew it was for keeps. Damn it, it was _cute._ Probably sweet too.

"Fine, but you need to feed it and change its litter," she conceded finally as Jess wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Of course, mom," he whispered into her hair, planting a kiss behind her ear, "and it's a _she_."

"Does she have a name?"

"Scout."

" _To Kill a Mockingbird_?" She smiled at the literary reference as he nodded. He knew she'd get it straight away. "Welcome to the family, Scout Gilmore-Mariano."


	3. Chapter 3

**Another tiny drabble based on a prompt. This one had the phrase 'Hey, I'm with you, okay? Always' and this is what I came up with.**

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He'd been dreading this moment since Rory had suggested visiting Stars Hollow for the 4th of July. The festivities were bad enough, with promises from Taylor of 'an extravagant showcase of the USA and its many forms of dance', but he could do entirely without seeing his family. Not Luke, he was one of the few reasons he agreed to take a trip to the sideshow that he'd lived in as a teen. Their relationship had never been better, and Jess had recently agreed to be his best man when he and Lorelai finally got married in a few months.

It wasn't even really TJ.

Gripping his girlfriend's hand, he stood in front of a typical suburban house. The fact that it was so ordinary and mundane infuriated him. Though he loved living in a big city, a place never dull or quiet, part of him knew his life would've started off a hell of a lot easier if he'd grown up in a three bedroom slice of small town living. Or if they'd stuck to the same apartment for more than six months at a time, he wasn't picky. His sister would never know that life, running from debt collectors at best and ex-boyfriends at worst. She got the suburban dream, complete with a swing set and trampoline, which he thought was a little inappropriate for a two year old.

"We're starting to look like we're casing the joint," Rory muttered suddenly, making him smile.

"If that's true we're doing an awful job. The key is to look discreetly to avoid attracting attention." At this comment Rory eyed him suspiciously.

"You'd tell me if you'd robbed a house before, right?"

"That's basic common sense, Rory."

"You know what else is basic common sense? Ringing the doorbell. Ding-dong, we get greeted by your mom and get out of the heat."

"Oh boy, I can't wait for another one of Liz's attempts to make up for my shitty childhood. Do you think she got me a pony?"

"I hope not, we're in a one bedroom," she joked, but noticing his frown she changed tactics. She brought her free hand up to his face and smiled when he nuzzled it a little, "hey, I'm with you, okay? Always. If you ever need to talk about it you know I'm here, right?"

"That's a two-way street, I want you to remember that. It's like those rules you made us write up. Number three, I think?"

"Communication is key," she recited diligently, before pulling him in for a kiss, "Twenty minutes and I'll fake an illness."

"I love you so much."


	4. Chapter 4

**This one I liked writing a lot. Prompt was "I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice."**

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It had been an exhausting day for everyone involved, but the worst was almost over and all that remained was obligatory dancing. Jess hadn't been sure on the dancing, was hoping to avoid it at all costs to be honest, but that simple blue-eyed glance and small smile as she sat next to him at the bridal table was all it took for him to dust off his dancing shoes.

Rory was delighted when he asked her to dance, because she honestly hadn't expected him to honour that tradition. Luke and Lorelai sat to their right, utterly enamoured with one another as they had for most of the day. Both looked radiant in their formal clothing, though Rory hadn't paid them much mind. She was too busy stealing glances at the very resplendent looking Mariano man who only sat a few inches to her right. The very Mariano man who was guiding her to the dance floor under the pretence of obligation.

Hands were on waists and shoulders as they swayed closely together, paying no mind to the fact that they probably looked like two kids at prom. They'd never had their prom, so this would have to do. At least they were wearing appropriate clothes.

"This is nice." Rory muttered into his shoulder, causing him to smile.

"It definitely doesn't suck."

"Good to hear. You look great, by the way."

"I know."

"Cocky much?"

"More self-assured of your appreciation. I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice." She turned to face him at his words, looking more exasperated than embarrassed at being caught out.

"And how exactly is that?"

"The same way I look at you when you're not paying attention. Or right now. All the time, really. Especially today, you scrub up pretty well."

"It was sort of a requirement. I'm surprised you managed to pull together a tux, if I'm honest."

"I'm fairly certain the bride would've murdered me," he caught Lorelai and Emily talking a fair distance away as Rory giggled, "and her mother too. Definitely the mother."

"Yep, you've gotta watch out for those nails."

"Lorelai's or yours?"

"Mom's more likely to go for the face. I wouldn't dare wreck the pretty face of my husband on our wedding day."

"What did I say about calling me pretty?"

"That I should do it more often because it makes you feel good about yourself?"

"You're pretty."

"I'm yours."

"That goes both ways. Always."

"Good to hear, Mr Gilmore."

"How long is that going to last?"

"Didn't you just say something about forever?"

"Jeez."


	5. Chapter 5

**I recently moved to a big city (the biggest in Australia, actually) and I started thinking about cities and trains and cake and this happened.**

* * *

The smell of smoke filled Jess' lungs as he entered his apartment. _Fuck, the faulty wiring has finally bitten me in the ass_. He was on his way to salvage whatever he could from the bedrooms when he heard a small sob. Sitting at the dining table, charred remains of something in front of her, was Rory. It was obvious that she'd been crying, though it seemed that she'd almost run out of steam, even if the kitchen she'd abandoned hadn't run out of smoke.

"Did you put your socks in the oven again?" He remembered the time his roast tasted vaguely of feet, and was happy to see a watery smile on her face.

"That was three years ago, you need to let it go," she surveyed the mess in front of her with a frown, "It's supposed to be a strawberry shortcake."

Jess smiled ruefully as he opened as many windows as possible. The frigid New York winter air filled their small living area, causing Rory to shiver. Jess grabbed her coat from the front door and threw it over her shoulders, not wanting her to deal with smoke inhalation and frostbite in the same night.

"My birthday's not for another week." She nodded as she pulled the coat around her frame, frowning at the buttons as though they'd personally offended her.

"It was a practice run. The batter looked like it should but then work rang and suddenly I have a Frankenstein funeral situation on my hands. You got the wrong coat."

"There's a right coat?"

"This one doesn't fit anymore."

Jess winced as he waited for more tears. To his surprise Rory smiled up at him as he grabbed the other coat hanging near the front door.

"Want me to put it in storage for next year?"

"Probably a good idea, you're lucky my hormones have all been expended on this disaster cake and there's nothing left for me to cry about being fat."

"Not fat-"

"Pregnant, blah blah blah. Save it for when I'm crying over my favourite jeans."

"You're surprisingly chipper for someone who was just crying over a cake."

"I think I realised the stupidity of it all when you started opening windows," she giggled, which made him smile, "I only did it because I saw something on TV about making your children's birthday cakes. Can you believe that? Like I'm going to subject our daughter to my atrocious cooking when there's four different amazing bakeries within walking distance."

"It's not failing, it's… Delegating?" He offered, making her laugh.

"Exactly! I'm no more suited to baking cakes than you are being a clown at birthday parties. Those who cannot do, hire someone who can."

"That sounds like something your grandmother would say."

"Doesn't make it any less right," she grabbed the remains of the cake and threw it in the trash, "let's order Thai food."

"Extra vegetables?"

"That's definitely a Danes trait your kid is displaying."

"Didn't your mom eat tonnes of fruit when she was pregnant?"

"If you don't agree with me I'm baking you another cake."

"Shutting up and ordering."


End file.
